Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 697,612. Pafented' Apr. l5, I902. c. E. DRAKE.

ACETYLENQ GAS GENERATOR.

i (Application filed Dec. 17, 1900.} (NolodeL) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 697,6l2. Patented Apr. 15, I902. c. E. DRAKE.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed. Dec. 17,1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 697,6l2. Patented Apr. I5, I902.

c. E. DRAKE.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Application filed Dec. 17, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoot 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

CHARLES E. DRAKE, OF CORNING, NEW YORK.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 697,612, dated April 15, 1902.

Application filed December 1'7, 1900. Serial No. 40,165. (No model.)

v To all whom it may concern:

apparatus, whereby simplicity of construction and economy are obtained.

My invention consists in certain novel fea tures of construction, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in which Figure l is an elevation of my complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same in a plane at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan of the apparatus, and Fig. 4 is a detail View of the carbid-feed mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail section of the top of the cover at right angles to Fig. 2.

1 represents the main tank, within or upon which all the parts of the apparatus are arranged. The tank 1 is formed with a central well 2, extending to the bottom of the tank, and with a concentric annular well 3, which terminates sufficiently above the bottom of the tank to provide an annular chamber 4 beneath it. A cylindrical cover 6 fits over and divides the wall 5 of the central well 2 and dips into the annular well 3 and is supported upon the bottom 7 of the well 3, said bottom dividing the well 3 from the chamber 4. Said cover, as will be seen from the drawings, closes the top of the well 2, and thus forms a generating-chamber in said well. The top of this chamber is provided with ahand-hole 8, closed bya cover 9,which may be hermetically sealed by a pressure-screw 10, working in a bail 11,

fitted to the rim of the hand-hole 8 by pivotscrews 12, so that the bail may be turned down out of the way and give free access to the hand-hole 8 for the introduction of calcium carbid. ()arbid introduced through the hand-hole 8 is arrested by a hopper 13, from which it escapes through the opening 14 into a second hopper 15, which has a discharge opening 16. Oarbid does not flow freely through the opening 16, but is arrested by a pendulous valve 17, suspended by a hanger 18 from a rock-shaft 19, which has an operating end 20 protruding from the side of the generator. mitted to escape from the opening 16 by the pendulous vibration of the Valve 17, induced through means to be described, applied to the protruding end 20 of the rock-shaft 19. This action causes a slight spilling or dislodging of the carbid, which is more or less continuous or frequently repeated and in small quantities. Finely-divided carbid is preferably used. The valve 17 is spaced sufficiently below the discharge-opening 16 to prevent clogging or interference with the motion of said valve, resulting from the presence of lumps or large pieces of carbid. The carbid drops from the valve 17 immediately into the water in which it is to be slaked, and the resulting acetylene gas accumulatesin the space above the indicated water-line and beneath the hopper 15, from whence it escapes through a pipe 21.

In order to prevent the escape of gas from the generator when the latter is being charged, the opening 14 of the upper hopper 13 may be closed by a valve 22, moved horizontally to or from said opening by its screw-stem 23, threaded in a fixed nut 24 and turned by a handle 25. The under side of the valve 22 is inclined to the direction of movement and causes the valve to be closed tight against the opening 14 by the projection of the valve into a guide 26.

The generator is provided with an agitator 27 at bottom, turned by its shaft 28 to stir up precipitate in the generator and cause it to pass 0E when the water is drawn 0% through a cook 29.

30 represents the gasometer-bell, which fits in the annular chamber 3, being guided in its vertical movement by the generator-cover 6. Water is supplied to both the generator and the gasometer through a common lip 31,which communicates with the gasometer through a side opening 32 and with the generator through a pipe 33.

The chamber4beneaththe gasometerserves as a condensing-chamber, and water is kept at the indicated level therein through the lip 34, but said chamber may be emptied when necessary through the outlet 35. Gas pass- Oarbid is gradually fed or pering from the generator through the pipe 21 is delivered below the water-line in condensingchamber 4 and escapes thence through a pipe 36, running to a point above the water-line in the gasometer. Both ends of the pipe 21 being open and the water-level in chamber 4 being restricted by the lip 34, it follows that the pipe 21 will never contain an objectionable quantity of Water, and any Water which may settle or splash thereinto in excess of the normal quantity will escape at bottom.

From the gasometer the gas passes through a pipe 37 to the dryer 38. Moisture condensing in the pipe 37 will settle in an extension 39, vertically beneath the pipe 37, and be delivered into a compartment 40 of the condensing-chamber 4, which compartment is formed by a partition 41 on one side of the chamber 4. Partition 41 extends toward the bottom of the chamber 4 sutliciently to prevent gas from the pipe 21 reaching the pipe 37, but leaves a space sufiicient to keep the water in the compartment 40 at the same level as in the chamber 4.

42 42 represent hoods to receive the upper ends of the pipes 36 37 when the bell settles to its lower limit.

To prevent accumulation of gas beneath the bell suliicient to lift the latter beyond its upper limit, a waste-pipe 43 projects into the gasometer and is normally sealed by a surrounding pipe 44, carried by the bell, and of such length that its normally sealed lower end 45 will pass above the water-line before the lower edge of the bell reaches that level, so that surplus gas will escape through the proper channel and not be permitted to enter the room in which the apparatus is located.

In order to control the feeding of carbid by the movement of the gasometer-bell, the protruding end 20 carries a lever 46, with a counterpoise 47, that normally holds the shaft 19 in position to bring the valve 17 to a horizon tal position beneath the opening 16; but a flexible connection 48 from the end of the lever 46 to the top of the bell 30 moves the lever 46, shaft 19, and valve 17 in opposition to the counter-poise 47 when the bell 30 settles below a certain point. This movement causes some of the finely-divided carbid to sift over the edges of the valve 17. This action in practice is very slight and frequent. No large body of gas is, at any time contained beneath the bell; but the action of sprinkling or sifting in the finely-divided carbid is more or less continuous during consumption of the gas. This causes a gentle and uniform action, avoids violent reaction in the generator, and removes one of the most common sources of fluctuation in the lights or variations in the pressure.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a complete self-contained apparatus in which cost of construction and space are greatlyeconomized and convenience of manipulation gained.

Having thus described my invention, the

following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In an acetylene-gas machine the combination of a tank formed with a central Well extending from the bottom to a point above the tank and surrounding annular chamber, of less depth than the central well, an annular chamber beneath the annular chamber first named, a cover fitted over the central well and projecting above the tank and forming with said well a generating-chamber, a gasometer-bell working in the annular chamber and guided by the cover, and means carried by said cover for applying carbid to the generating-chamber and means for conducting gas from the generating-chamber through the second-named annular chamber, to the bell, and from the bell to a point of consumption.

2. In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination of a tank formed with a central well and with a surrounding annular well or chamber of less depth than the central well and with an annular chamber beneath the annular chamber first named, a cover fitting over the central well, forming therewith a generatingchamber and carrying means for delivering carbid into said generating-chamber, an annular bell workingin the annular well or chamber surrounding the generating-chamber and guided by the walls of the latter, means for conducting gas from the generator into the annular chamber beneath the annular well, means for conducting the gas thence, and means for maintaining a water-level in the generating-chamber and annular well, and a separate water-level in the chamber beneath the well; substantially as set forth.

3. In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination of a main tank formed with a central generator-well and a surrounding annular gasometer-well, a cover and a bell, fitted respectively to the central and surrounding wells, a condensation-chamber surrounding the generator-well beneath the annular well, a water-supplying lip communicating with both the gasometer and generator Wells, a water-supplying lip communicating with and maintaining a water-level in the condensationchamber,a gas-outlet extending from the generating-chamber above the water-level to a point beneath the water-level in the condensation-chamber, whereby water is retained below an objectionable level in the said gasoutlet, the gas-pipes 36 and 37, and means carried by the generator-cover for supplying carbid.

4. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a main tank formed with a central generator-well, a surrounding annular gasometer-well and a condensation-chamber beneath the gasometer-well, a cover forming with the generator-we] l a generating-chamber, and having means fol-supplying carbid thereto, a bell forming with the gasometer-well a gasometer, and guided upon the generator, a partition in the condensation-chamber forming a drip-compartment therein, a pipe leading from above, the water-level in the generator to a point beneath thewater-level in the condensation-chamber, a pipe communicating from above the water-level in-the condensation-chamber to a point above-the waterlevel in the gasometer and a pipe leading from above the water-level in the gasometer to apoint outside the machine and having an ex tension projecting-below the water-level'in' tral well beneath the annular 'chambers,'sub-' stantially as set forth. I

6. In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination of a tank formed with central and annular wells of different depths, a cover extending to the-bottom of the 'annularwell' and a bell fitted respectively to the central well and the annular welland forming therewith a generating-chamber and a gasometer, the bell being guided'upon the cover, means for supplying carbid, carried by said cover, and-'aconnection betweenthe carbid-supply means and the gasometer whereby the former is actuated by the latter.

7. In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination of a tank formed with central and an nular wells, a cover and a bell forming with said central and'annular wells respectively, a generator anda gasoineter, the gasometerbell being guided bythe generator, carbid supply means located in the generator, a rockshaft actuating said carbid supply means, a

lever mounted on the protruding end of said rock-shaft, and a connection between said lever and the gasometer-bell which surrounds the generator.

8. In combination with the generator of an acetylene-gas apparatus, a hopper for holding carbid provided with a discharge-opening, a roclcshaft extending transversely through to the hopper above the dischargeopening, a valve located adistance below the discharge-opening sufiicient to prevent clogging by the carbid passing through the latter onto the former and pendulous connections between the valve and the rock-shaft whereby the valve may be vibrated horizontally for the purpose herein set forth.

, 9. I In combination with the generator of an acetylene-gas machine, a hopper for holding carbid therein, a horizontal supportor valve located a distance beneath the discharge-opening of the hopper, a rock-shaft extending transversely to the hopper in a plane above the discharge-opening, a pendulous supportfrom the rock-shaft to the support or valve, a lever mounted upon the end of the rock-shaft and carrying a counterpoise' controlling the shaft and normally'holding the support or yalvein a position beneath the dischargeopening of the hopper and a connection between the light end of the lever and. the gasometer of the acetylene-machine.

10." In an acetylene-gas apparatus the combination of a tank formed with central and annular wells, a cover and a bell forming with said central and annular wells respectively,

a generator and a gasomeier, the 'gasometer being guided by the generator, carbid-supply means located in the generator at alltimes at the point of discharge, a rock-shaft actuating said carbid-supply means, and means connecting said rock-shaft with the gasorneter bell.

CHARLES E. DRAKE. 'Witnesses: I I

H. M. ADKINS,

GEORGE IRLE. 

